On November 14, 2002, Captain David Karasek, Pensacola District Commander, observed an eastbound taxicab speeding in a construction zone on Interstate 10 in Escambia County. Captain Karasek became suspicious when he saw the taxi’s Texas license plate. Upon being pulled over, the taxi driver stated that he was carrying a paying passenger traveling from Houston, Texas, to Miami, Florida.

And the search begins

The taxi’s meter, which was still running, read $927—with approximately 700 more miles to go. After listening to the stories of the driver and the passenger, Captain Karasek’s suspicion grew. A request to search the vehicle was granted by the driver.

Counting the Money

The search yielded 18 grams of cocaine, and almost $15,000 in cash belonging to the passenger. The taxi driver was released to return to Texas minus his fare and passenger. While taking a taxi can be a slow way to travel from Texas to Florida, it’s even slower when you have a stopover at the Escambia County jail. The passenger, Juan Carlos Alvarado Chaves, was charged with Possession of Cocaine and Possession with the Intent to Distribute.